Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will indeed. I look forward to putting my side of the case in respect of the use of taxpayers' resources in 2017 and working and debating with colleagues in the House and where possible reaching agreement with them.

Some critics argue that there has been a huge increase in Government expenditure not planned for or adequately funded. As we move into next year the rate of increase in total expenditure for 2017 will be less than the rate of growth of our entire economy. We are doing that because of the focus on eliminating our deficit so that if the global economy does move into more turbulent waters in the coming weeks, months and years the impact of that on the fortunes of citizens will be reduced.

That is why we are being so careful in terms of the additional expenditure allocated for next year.

On the broad point Deputy Calleary made about multi-annual expenditure ceilings I, as one would expect, am committed to finding ways in which they can work better, while acknowledging that they do a lot of good work at the moment. I would like to give an example of that good work, while also pointing to the limitations of that approach that I will have to grapple with in 2017. An example of their good work is that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, is going to embark on a very significant and much needed reform of the quality and costs of the child care sector. The Minister and her Department have an approximate indication of the funding that will be available to them in 2018 and 2019. Of course, that is going to change when the Estimates negotiations for next year take place. However, at least there is some indication of what spending trends could look like in the coming years to provide some more certainty around policy choices that could be made.

The expenditure ceilings also have limitations. As Deputy Calleary acknowledged, their first limitation is dealing with the unexpected. If the Government had not made an additional €100 million available to deal with flooded roads and ruined bridges earlier on in the year, we would have justifiably been criticised for not doing so when the damage of that flooding became apparent. While there has been some criticism of the additional funding that was supplied to the Department of Health across 2016, I am sure that the criticism of policy failures or difficulties in the latter half of this year would have been greater if that funding had not been made available to the Department.

There are also limitations relating to policy changes that governments may make. Ministers change and governments change. I believe it is absolutely essential to the vitality of our democratic institutions that if a Minister changes or a Government comes in with a new outlook, they have the flexibility to reflect their own policy views or the views of those who elected them. If we reach a point at which such latitude is not available to governments, whatever benefits that may be gained by fiscal rectitude will be quickly dispersed by the further undermining of supports that people have stemming from how governments function and spend taxpayers' money.

I will conclude on that point. In this job, I never know when I am going to have the opportunity to address the House next, but if I do not have that opportunity before the end of the year, I want to wish Deputy Calleary, Deputy Munster, all of the Deputies that I have worked with across 2016 and their families a happy Christmas and a peaceful new year. I thank all of the staff and the Ceann Comhairle for all of their work across the year. I will certainly be taking Deputy Calleary's advice and I will be having a break. I offer that advice to everybody else here tonight.

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